“When we advertise this display, we say there’s something for everyone from one to one-hundred,” said Steven Zimmerman, Director of the Mechanicsburg Museum Association, describing the latest Christmas exhibit at the museum’s Freight Station building.

“It’s become a holiday tradition for the Mechanicsburg community and we always make it different,” said Zimmerman.

“The theme this year is Snowbound Christmas Express, so we’re concentrating on snow and snowmen,” he said. “And, of course, we have the Lionel trains and antique toys.”

During my visit to the Freight Station, volunteers were a week away from their November 15 opening, finishing up track wiring, adding snow to displays and prepping a second train to join the Polar Express train already making practice runs.

“The kids enjoy it mostly,” said Zimmerman, “but I think the adults do too because they see the toys they grew up with.”

The entire exhibit takes about four weeks to complete and attracts an average of a thousand visitors a year.

And, due to popular demand, the exhibit will remain open an extra week this holiday season, until January 17.

“We want to get as many people in to see it as we can,” said Zimmerman. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it when you get the people in to see it.”

A Candlelight Walking Tour of all of the museum properties is set for Saturday, December 6.